Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-28
A FORGED PARDON.
How Ed. Rice Stole a Fortune and
was in Turn Robbed.


One Of the neIviest pieces OF work ever
attempted by professional crook was that
performed by Big I'd. Rice eight or ten
veaIs ago, he beng assisted IN the work by
Tom Bigelow, OF Windsor, Ont. \ pal OF
Rice bad been al rested in Indiana and sent
10 prison for attempting to pass forged
check on bank. The sentence was for
thee years, aud the name o. the man was
Sietsop. More Than 81 600 was paid to law
yeTs TO prevent his conviction, bat it was a
clear case and nothing would save him. Ii
Was claimed that il was case OF mis-
isbeD identity, and the newspapers dis
cussed the affair in manner to convince
MANY OF their readers that StetsOn
Was a much-iniured man. The sentence
aaS 20 sooner IN operation than there was
talk that the Governor would be appealed
TO TO grant pardon, and the convict had
only served six weeks when 1t was an.
nOuncCd in Indianapolis and Chicago pa
peTs that the Governor had agreed TO grant
a pardon. This was the sly work OF Ed.
Rice with newspaper. men. He claimed TO
be New YORK lawyer ard attorney OF
Stetson. Bigelow claimed to be brother
in.law and a Chicago broker. What was
inserted in the papers after the trial
was for the benefit OF the prison
officials. 1t was published only in
papers that found their way INTO
prison, and StetSon took good care
that ali knew that be was in daily eX.
pectatlon OF a pardon. He bad been In
prison about seven weeks when Rice APP
peared one DAY and stated to the warden
that the Governor had issued and mailed
pardon, and, indeed, was in the Office when
The mail was received andthe pardon taken
from its envelope. The warden was pre-
pared for the reception Of the document.
de believed that the Governor had been APP
pealed to, and that he looked upon Stetson
~ an I'M Ocent man. The document was
in yerfect form, the signature all right, aud
but for a trifling incident Stetson would
have walked out OF prison inside OF
an hour. Some one from indianapolis, who
Lad business at the prison, came in Just
as the warden was looking over the docu-
ment 81 ID remarked that the Governor had
bteu absent from the State for several days
past and his signature could not be had TO
seVeral documents. Here was hi sigma
luIe to the pardon, attached only the day
before at indianapolis, and the warden
would have been poor stick not TO see
that something needed explanation. Rice
was cool ana collected, and had not the
other party been q friend OF the warden
his statement would have passed for a mis-
take. As 1t was be determined to invest
gate before giving Stetson his liberty, aud
he said 10 Rice:
"lf the Governor was not In Indianapo-
lis yesterday this signature Is a forgery. II
be was there then the document is all
right"
''YOu can ascertain by telegraph In an
hour" replied Rice. 81 have some bush
ness at he bank, and will return In an
hour While do not see bow this docu.
meBt can be questioned, | yet desire you
will take every precaution TO render your
self safe" He went out 10 take train out
Of The city. and be heard OF no more, and
inside Of an hour Ii was known thit tue
paper was forgery. Bigelow had ac-
compllsbed bis part OF the work Ia
a successful manner, but Rice had fallel
through q friiliHg circumstances. There
vas sh INSTRUMENTATION into tue matter,
or iather one was begun aud then zeaIously
lusbed up. There WAS no question rs ~
tbe forgery OF the Governors signature.
but how Bigeiow got the blank pardon ind
seal OF the state was mystery. There had
been no brfakiDg aud entering. aud those